2025 commenced with Now or Never flying the Gold Burgee and completing American’s Great Loop. Our 2025 leg of the loop took us on a journey of 1800 miles, cruising 50 cruising days over four months. It’s hard to believe it’s over. Now or Never, Captain Dave, Tasha, and first pup Remy posthumously have officially crossed our wake and completed America’s Great Loop. It’s hard to believe it’s over. From chilly May mornings on Lake Huron to golden September sunsets on the Cumberland River, our 2025 cruise carried us through two Great Lakes, the North Channel, big rivers, and one unforgettable summer. What began as a dream became the adventure of a lifetime – every lock, lighthouse, and looper lore is a piece of our story. Here’s the recap of the final leg of our journey.
Algonac, Michigan on Lake St. Clair to Grand Rivers, KY on the Cumberland River
We left Lake St. Clair in late May after storing our boat for the winter and pointed the bow north into Lake Huron. We prepared to cruise in Algonac for a week, keeping the heaters running with highs only in the 40s. The cool early-summer temps meant we cruised alone for days, going weeks seeing very few boats on the water. It was a lonely start to an adventure that had been filled with boaters galore.
Now or Never dropped back in the water – experiencing a cold kick off to summer
We stopped in quaint, quiet towns along the Huron coast – eight in all over the course of a month – visiting lighthouses and museums, witnessing vibrant sunrises and sunsets while waiting for warmer weather and more company on the water. Peaceful ports included Port Huron, Lexington, Port Sanilac, Port Austin, East Tawas, Harrisville, Presque Isle, and Cheboygan, all in Michigan.
Heading north on a quiet Lake Huron
In late June, we found our first Looper friends at Mackinac Island – the crew of Still Waters whom we met August 2024. We spent three first-rate days exploring the island: touring the fort, hiking to Arch Rock, enjoying happy hour on the porch of the Grand Hotel, and pedaling miles and miles around the island.
The crew of Still Waters and an unforgetable time on Mackinac Island
From Mackinac, we followed the St. Mary’s River north 85 miles north to Sault Ste. Marie, where we enjoyed the historic town dedicated to the famous locks and waited for good weather to venture into Lake Superior, our fourth Great Lake.
Saulte Ste. Marie, MI
Alone again (although most cruise alone on Lake Superior), we cruised 40 miles to Whitefish Point on Whitefish Bay, best known from the Gordon Lightfoot song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. We walked a mile down a state highway that dead ended at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, a somber experience highlighting many shipwrecks, including the Fitzgerald, which went down just 17 miles our rustic dock. Even with this small glimpse of the immense, mysterious lake with its hidden depths, we were left wanting more. We admired those we met who were spending the entire summer on Superior — maybe another adventure for us oneday.
Lake Superior, Whitefish Point, and the Shipwreck Museum
Returning through the Soo Locks and entering Canada, we made our way across the northern shore of the North Channel, visiting Little Current on Manitoulin Island for Canada Day and then returning to one of our favorite ports, Killarney.
Little Current, Ontario
In Killarney, we stayed on the dock of family friends George and Kathy and their pups, Chardy and Beau – a golden and a lab. A dock with dogs is always the best. Killarney is a magical place for us, full of wonderful memories and room for many more. Dinghy rides, hikes up the granite cliffs, biking, and soaking in God’s glory kept us content.
Our slice of Heaven – pups included – Killarney
Saddened that our time was over too soon, we left and enjoyed another week cruising the North Channel before reentering the U.S. and heading to our fifth Great Lake – Lake Michigan. The month in Canada included 300 miles of pristine waters, beautiful granite lined shores, engrossing ourselves in nature, and exploring eight ports and anchorages. It was hard to move on; we love the area.
Continuing west through the North Channel on the U.S. shore, we spent one night in Drummond Island before making our way to the Straits of Mackinac. We anchored in the beautiful Les Cheneaux Islands and stopped in St. Ignace, enjoying great views of the Mackinac Bridge.
The Mighty Mac from St. Ignace in the UP
We left St. Ignace on a windy day, headed through the rough Straits under the beautiful Mackinac Bridge and into a surprisingly calm Lake Michigan to meet up with hometown friends Pete and Cathy on Beaver Island. A wonderful weekend enjoying the quiet island and great friends who also met up with us in New York City on our loop.
Heading to Beaver Island – Pete & Cathy arriving by ferry
We began our voyage down Michigan’s beautiful west coast, letting the weather and waves plan our agenda. Over three weeks, we cruised 350 miles, visiting the ports of Petoskey, Charlevoix, Boyne City, Leland, Frankfort, Ludington, Pentwater, Holland/Ottawa Beach, South Haven, and St. Joe.
Highlights included biking around Grand Traverse Bay near Petoskey, experiencing Charlevoix in the midst of summer, mushroom houses included and an active community bandstand we could see and hear from our aft deck, exploring Fishtown in Leland, and watching the only coal-fired car ferry still in service—the Badger—sail in and out of Ludington each day. That and mothers natures display of fiery with her big waves that kept us on high alert and dock bound for days.
PURE Michigan!
The terror of Lake Michigan keeping us in port
We spent all of August along Michigan’s shores and were wooed by the charm and vibrancy of each port. We had hoped to cross to Wisconsin midway down, but the mother nature kept us hugging the eastern shore. St. Joe was our last Michigan town, where we found ourselves stuck by weather and right in the middle of the lively Tri-State Regatta party.
We crossed the lake on Labor Day weekend (Loopers are warned to stay clear of major port and cities on weekends and holidays – we’re getting good at not heeding that warning hitting Baltimore on Labor Day 2023, NYC on Memorial Day 2024, and now Chicago on Labor Day), the Chicago skyline coming into view as we celebrated the holiday in the Windy City. Biking, walking, eating, and catching up with our son Nick made for a perfect finale before heading inland toward home.
Now or Never crew in the windy city
As the weather was beginning to turn, it was time to leave Lake Michigan, though we weren’t ready for the journey to end.
Over the next three weeks, we traversed the Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, and Cumberland Rivers – and experienced our warmest days of the entire season in September! It went from cool in Michigan to hot on the rivers – so warm we used the AC for the first time all year.
It was familiar cadence to be back on the rivers, where the weather didn’t dictate our every move and the waves weren’t measured in feet. The rivers will always be home. Too tall to cruise through downtown Chicago, we made our way down the Sanitary Canal through the industrious working area of South Chicago to the Illinois River.
We covered 330 miles over 12 days, visiting the Illinois towns of Joliet, Ottawa, Hennepin, Peoria, Beardstown, Hardin, and Grafton along the way. Family joined us to crew from Ottawa to Peoria, where we enjoyed the abundance of nature – including eagles soaring high.
Illinois River with Tim and Janet
Our seven stops included only two marinas; the rest were unique overnights tied to a tugboat, a downtown free wall (with power!), two restaurant docks, and a floating dock along the river. These experiences made for some of our best memories.
Unique Docking
We also encountered our first locks since last summer – eight of our final twelve on the Loop.
River locks
Between Grafton and Alton, Illinois, we said goodbye to the Illinois River and cruised onto the Mississippi, where further down river we captured another “Now or Never” money shot as we passed the St. Louis Arch. That night we tied to an old barge and enjoyed “levee-high apple” in Kimmswick, Missouri, our 18th state on the Loop and the last new one of the journey.
The Gateway to the West – Now or Never cruising through St. Louis
Kimmswick, MO, home of Hoppies and the Blue Owl Levee High Apple Pie
From there, we anchored overnight in a small river off the Mississippi before completing the 169 miles on the mighty Mississippi, a wild river that, once past the Chain of Rocks Lock north of St. Louis, has no more locks all the way to New Orleans.
Little Diversion River anchorage – just off Mississippi River
The Mississippi is like no other river we have traversed. The current is fierce, the eddies and wing dams constant, bringing very tumultuous ongoing conditions. Our captain found it the most frustrating waterway to navigate, and we could only imagine how much wilder it gets farther south with no locks to control the flow.
The mighty muddy Mississippi!
Turning onto the Ohio River, our home waters, we were now cruising against the current, losing a few mph as our Cummins worked harder after the Mississippi’s push. About halfway through our 80 miles on the Ohio, we stopped in Paducah, a great river town with excellent docks and easy access to downtown shops, museums, and eateries.
Paducah, KY
We spent the final few days of our journey enjoying the town and the fellowship of our Looper community. It was surreal and a bit teary.
Our first of two final cruises began as we left Paducah and, at the confluence of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers, officially crossed our wake – completing the Loop! Our buddy boat, Shay Chalet, captured photos of this special moment. The end was near.
Confluence of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers – full circle June 2021 – Sept. 2025
We traversed the Cumberland River and passed through our last lock, the Barkley Lock. While most Loopers stopped at Green Turtle Bay, we cruised a few more miles to Buzzard Rock Marina, a quiet hideout to pause for a couple of days.
We had planned a wake-crossing celebration weeks earlier so friends and family from three states could join us for the momentous occasion. Timing on the water is always tricky and we gave ouselves a couple of grace days, so we paused before cruising into Green Turtle Bay – where our crew were waiting.
Our final cruise photo, home port friends approaching, Now or Never ending its run
It was worth the wait. As we headed toward the marina, our homeport marina friends who saw us off in 2021 escorting us down the Ohio, appeared, and escorted us into the marina- another full circle moment. Family, friends, and our Looper community were there to cheer us in – and celebrate we did, for three fun-filled days!
Going Gold Celebration!
We’ve chased the dream of gold for 52 months, and this chapter of our fairy tale has come to a close. Nearly 12,000 miles winding through the heart of America – our hearts were full as we hung the gold burgee signifiying completion of America’s Great Loop.
What a ride – the ride of our lives. Every minute, every mile. We’re so grateful you chose to cruise along with us.
Below are this year’s stats—a full recap of the entire journey coming soon!
2025 by the numbers:
Captain changing the colors of the burgee
As we settle back on shore life, our hearts are still somewhere out there – on calm waters, under wide skies, chasing sunsets and new horizons. The Gold Burgee may mark the end of our Loop, but not the end of our adventures. We’re grateful for the friends we’ve made, the places we’ve seen, and everyone who followed along on this incredible ride. Thank you for cruising with us – stay tuned, because there’s always another journey waiting just beyond the next bend.
Cheers! David, Tasha,
& Remy forever in our hearts! – Loop Dog for 1 year and 3357 miles
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